Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: Spathiphyllum hybrid.
Variety denomination: xe2x80x98Sweet Darioxe2x80x99.
The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Spathiphyllum plant, hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name xe2x80x98Sweet Darioxe2x80x99. The new cultivar originated from a cross made in a controlled breeding program in Monster, The Netherlands. The female parent is xe2x80x98991274-26xe2x80x99 (unpatented). The male parent is xe2x80x9893161-95xe2x80x99 (unpatented). xe2x80x98Sweet Darioxe2x80x99 was discovered and selected by the inventor, Petrus C. M. Olsthoorn, as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in a controlled environment in Monster, The Netherlands. 
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar was first performed by tissue culture in week 16 of 1997 in Honselersdijk, The Netherlands and has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for the new cultivar are firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction and reproduce true-to-type.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be basic characteristics of xe2x80x98Sweet Darioxe2x80x99 which in combination distinguish this Spathiphyllum as a new and distinct cultivar:
1. Dark and glossy leaves;
2. Most shoots producing inflorescences;
3. Shell-shaped inflorescence; and
4. Large spadix.
xe2x80x98Sweet Darioxe2x80x99 has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary significantly with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity, and day length without any change in the genotype of the plant. The following observations, measurements and values describe the new cultivar as grown in Honselersdijk, The Netherlands under conditions which closely approximate those generally used in commercial practice.
Of the many commerical cultivars known to the present inventor, the most similar in comparison to xe2x80x98Sweet Darioxe2x80x99 is the cultivar xe2x80x98Cupidoxe2x80x99 (unpatented). Compared to xe2x80x98Cupidoxe2x80x99, the leaves of xe2x80x98Sweet Darioxe2x80x99 are much darker and glossier. xe2x80x98Sweet Darioxe2x80x99 produces much more shoots than xe2x80x98Cupidoxe2x80x99. About 9 seeds of xe2x80x98Cupidoxe2x80x99 are needed to produce the same amount of shoots from a single plant of xe2x80x98Sweet Darioxe2x80x99. Nearly all shoots of xe2x80x98Sweet Darioxe2x80x99 produce inflorescences whereas only the main shoots of xe2x80x98Cupidoxe2x80x99 produce inflorescences. The inflorescences of xe2x80x98Sweet Darioxe2x80x99 are approximately 10 percent bigger than the inflorescences of xe2x80x98Cupidoxe2x80x99. The inflorescence shape of xe2x80x98Sweet Darioxe2x80x99 is shell-shaped whereas the inflorescence shape of xe2x80x98Cupidoxe2x80x99 is more oval. The spadix of xe2x80x98Sweet Darioxe2x80x99 is approximately 10-15% larger than the spadix of xe2x80x98Cupidoxe2x80x99. The inflorescence stem of xe2x80x98Sweet Darioxe2x80x99 is also much darker than the inflorescence stem of xe2x80x98Cupidoxe2x80x99. In order to force the shoots of a Spathiphyllum to flower gibberalic acid is added. xe2x80x98Cupidoxe2x80x99 needs more than twice the concentration of this hormone than xe2x80x98Sweet Darioxe2x80x99 to get the same result. The main vein of the leaves of xe2x80x98Sweet Darioxe2x80x99 is lighter than the color of the leaves whereas the main vein of the leaves of xe2x80x98Cupidoxe2x80x99 is the same color as the leaves. Finally, xe2x80x98Cupidoxe2x80x99 is more sensitive to light than xe2x80x98Sweet Darioxe2x80x99 causing the leaves of xe2x80x98Cupidoxe2x80x99 to lighten in color faster than those of xe2x80x98Sweet Darioxe2x80x99.